1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detecting device for a vehicle for accurately detecting a temperature in a passenger compartment of the vehicle without being affected by an amount of sunlight entering the passenger compartment or other conditions.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a various kinds of temperature sensors are used for an air conditioner for a vehicle. The temperature sensors include an inside air temperature sensor for detecting an inside air temperature at a rear seat side of a passenger compartment of the vehicle. However, the inside air temperature sensor is generally attached to a ceiling in the passenger compartment to detect the inside air temperature of the passenger compartment. Therefore, when a temperature on the ceiling of the vehicle becomes high, the inside air temperature sensor is affected by the temperature of the ceiling so that the inside air temperature at the rear seat side cannot be accurately detected.
To overcome such a problem, an inside air temperature sensor is proposed as described in JP-U-59-23636. In the inside air temperature sensor, a heat-insulating layer is placed between an outer plate of a vehicle and an inner wall of a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the inside air temperature sensor is held within a sensor case which protrudes from an opening portion of the inside wall of the passenger compartment. Further, a heat-receiving plate is provided on a lower surface of the sensor case and draft holes are formed along the heat-receiving plate.
However, when an intensity of sunlight becomes high, the temperature on the ceiling may be increased to a temperature more than 50.degree. C. Therefore, even when the heat-insulating layer and the heat-receiving plate are provided, a temperature around the inside air temperature sensor is increased. As a result, an error may be caused in the temperature detected by the inside air temperature sensor.